Isn’t it amazing how, within two months of each other, two well-liked and respected community leaders, City Council member Scott Malsin and our local School District Supt. Patti Jaffe would make lifelong pension decisions that, each in its own way, would greatly affect the taxpayers’ pocketbooks in the long-term.
Both leaders had the option of spiking their pensions. Yet Mr. Malsin’s and Ms. Jaffe’s decisions are as different as night from day.
Their job descriptions are slightly different: Council members like to think of themselves as being paid public employees, but they are really elected public servants. Ms. Jaffe is actually a public employee who has dedicated over 40 years of her adult life to the education of our children. Mr. Malsin served on the City Council for six. Yet it was Ms. Jaffe, the long-time, sometimes underpaid, under-valued public employee, who chose not to game the state retirement system.
It was Mr. Malsin, the public servant, who chose to do the previously unheard action of: disavowing his oath of office, vacating his Council seat in mid-term and thereby, legally forcing taxpayers to foot his own and his family’s health insurance for the rest of his life. In essence, Mr. Malsin decided to look out for himself and stick it to us taxpaying peons to continue to subsidize his future lifestyle.
It was Patti Jaffe, the public employee, who made it obvious that she does not view our small community as being her own little private pension cash cow that was ready for the milking as it seems Mr. Malsin had come to see it.
I’m not saying that Ms. Jaffe is a better or nicer person than Mr. Malsin. But looking at their latest decisions, it is clear to me that only Ms. Jaffe had her community’s sake at heart when she chose to retire. She showed more character when having character mattered and when it counted the most.
Mr. Laase may be contacted at GMLaase@aol.com
